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Christmas Eve is the time to be at home enjoying the warmth and laughter of family, isn’t it?

A couple in their late 60s faces the prospects of a first ever Christmas with no kids or grandkids in the house …

An emergency room nurse handles every crisis at work with calm, but inside her emotions are roiling because she can’t get hold of her husband or her youngest son …

Over the past two years he has lost his job, his house, his wife, and it feels like his kids are slipping away …

Her first baby is scheduled to arrive in a few weeks, but with her husband still on duty in Afghanistan, she’s never felt so alone in all her life …

Four individuals and families are trying so hard to grab hold of the spirit of Christmas that they can’t see they are about to run headlong into each other … just before midnight.

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Mark Gilroy July 28, 2014

Social Network Numbers in 2014

What are the social network numbers in 2014? Just how many people are using Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, and more?

The social network numbers are staggering. There are 7.2 billion people on planet Earth – the top 21 social networks have a combined 5.7 billion user profiles. More than a third of the world population now has access to the internet.

Some people still argue that Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and the other top networks are huge time wasters. Maybe so. But the numbers tell a story. To dismiss social networking as irrelevant feels similar to the great Yogi Berra quote: “No one goes to that restaurant anymore because it’s too crowded.”

Whether you join a network because it’s the newest craze, to connect with old and new friends, to entertain, to be entertained, to market and sell, to buy – or some combination that includes other reasons, here is what is happening in the universe of social networks in 2014. [Read more…]

Mark Gilroy April 17, 2009

Faith, Money, the GOP, and Marriage

What makes for a great marriage? I’m sure the usual suspects of commitment, respect, shared values, mutual attraction, and love are still the major ingredients that blend together to create a great love story. But without regard for the quality of the union, what makes for a marriage that lasts?

A recent Barna Group study (March 31, 2008) indicates:

* 78% of U.S. adults have been married at least once and 33% of those have been divorced at least once
* 84% of born-again Christian adults have tied the knot
* 74% of people aligned with non-Christian faiths
* 65% of atheists and agnostics

Who has the highest divorce rates?

* 39% of downscale adults
* 38% of Baby Boomers
* 38% of those aligned with a non-Christian faith
* 36% of African-Americans
* 37% of people who define themselves to be socially and politically liberal

The lowest likelihood of divorce?

* 28% of Catholics
* 26% of Evangelicals
* 22% of upscale adults
* 28% of those who deem themselves socially and politically conservative

The difference between those most likely and least likely to divorce is 17 points and a 45% swing, which is significant. But without running cross-tabulations and looking at these numbers over time it’s impossible to draw any empirical conclusions.

But that’s never stopped me before!

My modest suggestion for giving your marriage a stimulus package is more focus on your career and your faith – and strongly consider voting Republican in the next election.